John Turner was born North Carolina. His
exact birth date is unknown. All the information we have on him is
from he pension of his wife and son.

Tuner’s pension starts off telling about
him joining the North Carolina 1st Continental regiment in
August 1777. His unit is marched first to Williamsburg VA and Richmond
VA where his unit is inoculated against Small pox. Three percent (3%)
of all Continental Soldiers died from allergic reactions to the
inoculations. The troops were then sailed to New Jersey to wait for
the upcoming battle at Brandywine PA.

On September 11, 1777, General Howe of
the British army planned two separate attacks on the American line.
Knyphausen, Hessian Commander would attack the center of the line
while Cornwallis would attack on the Continental Right wing after out
flanking the Continentals.

The North Carolina line saw very little
action at Brandywine. Most of the North Carolinians were part of the
reserve at Birmingham house. It was here where the Virginians fought
off the British with such valor forcing them to withdraw 5 times
before taking the house and hill where it was located.

Some of the North Carolina troops who
were considered the best sharpshooters were sent to the center of the
line at chads Ford where they met Knyphausen Forces. The British soon
routed the American line forcing Wayne’s and Maxwell’s divisions to
retreat and capturing 11 cannons.

On October 4, 1777 Turner participated
in the battle of Germantown PA. Here the North Carolina line saw heavy
fighting. The North Carolina Brigade lost their commander, General
Francis Nash who almost got his leg blown off during the battle after
being hit with a canon ball. The Americans were winning this battle
until. American Commander General Stephens ordered his men to fire
upon the Americans line located in a deep fog. The Continentals were
forced to withdraw.

On December 19, 1777, Turner marched
into Valley Forge with the rest of the North Carolina regiments. At
Valley Forge, the North Carolina regiments suffered the most of any of
the state regiments. They received less clothes and food than any of
the other State regiments At Valley forge, 323 North Carolinians were
placed in the infirmary due to various illnesses where 204 died. 250
men were deemed unfit for duty because their clothes had become like
rags and they had no shoes.

The most exciting event to happen at
Valley Forge concerning the North Carolina regiment was when several
North Carolinians tried to desert. One man tried to steal a horse. This man was caught and almost
flogged to death.

On June 28, 1778, Turner and his North
Carolina brigade became part of Lafayette brigade at the battle of
Monmouth. The North Carolinians saw very little fighting here.

On July 15, 1779, Turner and the north
Carolinas saw action at the battle of Stony Point NY. Here the North
Carolinians made a diversionary frontal attack on the garrison. The
Americans won this battle decisively.

After this battle the Turner and his
North Carolina regiment was sent to several forts in the Hudson
valley. In September 1779, several men from each of the North Carolina
brigade were sent to participate in the battle of Savannah GA on
September 16, 1779.

The battle of savannah was the second
bloodiest battle fought during the Revolutionary war Over 1100
Continentals was killed and 543 wounded. This battle could have been
won if the Americans had not agreed to a truce the day before to see
if the British would agree to surrender. During the truce, the British
fortified the garrison making it almost impossible to capture. Also
another British regiment arrived on the scene making defeat a
certainty.

What North Carolinians didn’t
participate in the battle of Savannah were forced to march in 3 feet
of snow on their way to Charleston. In April 1780 at Charleston,
Turner participated in a 40 day siege in which the Americans were
defeated. Over 5000 men were taken prisoner and then paroled if they
agreed not to fight the British again.

Turner would fight at the battle of
Eutaw springs on September 8, 1781 this was last major battle and
Bloodiest battle ever fought in South Carolina. After this battle
Turner was sent to James Island Sc. James Island claims to be the
location the last shots occurred between Tories and the Sc militia in
November 1782. James Island would also be famous during the Civil war
being where the Confederates fired from at Fort Sumter.

In 1782, Turner moved to Stokes county
NC where he married Mary Cloud. They had 6 children from this union.
Turner later moved to Claiborne County where he died on October 16,
1825.

The most famous and bloodiest family
feud to occur in Bell county Kentucky was between descendents of
Turner and the Sowders’ family that happened during the civil war.
Over 27 individuals were killed during this family feud.